Local and state briefs for Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013

RICHMOND — The Chariho Rotary Club Italian Night will be held at Richmond Country Club, 74 Sand Pond Road, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, from 5 to 8 p.m. The Chariho Rotary Club will dedicate funds raised at the dinner to aid relief efforts in the wake of the devastating typhoon in the Philippines.

Proceeds will help purchase two Shelter Box units which supply an extended family with a tent and essential equipment to use while they are displaced or homeless. Shelter Box, a Rotary International Project Partner, responds instantly following disasters by delivering boxes of aid to those who need it most.

The Italian Night dinner is a choice of spaghetti with sausage or meatballs or linguine and clam sauce. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $5 for children, and are available from any Chariho Rotarian, by calling Jeff Duscha at 401-595-5837 or emailing jsduscha@washtrust.com.

Auxiliary holding annual Lights of Love fundraiser

WESTERLY — The Westerly Hospital Auxiliary is holding its 29th annual Lights of Love fundraiser. The community is invited to honor or remember a loved one by purchasing a Love Light in their name in denominations of $5, $25, $50, $100, or more.

Names will be posted weekly on a display board in the hospital lobby, and a holiday tree at the front entrance of the hospital will display lights in honor or remembrance of loved ones. The auxiliary will donate all proceeds toward the purchase of equipment for the diagnostic imaging and the pharmacy departments for the direct benefit of patients. Forms for donating a Love Light are available at the information desk of the hospital and the auxiliary gift shop or online at westerlyhospital.org.

A Lights of Love reception will be held in the hospital foyer on Sunday, Dec. 1, at 4 p.m. This year, the auxiliary will honor two retiring doctors, Dr. Bruce Gillie and Dr. Robert Serra, for their dedication and years of service to the hospital. The reception is open to the community. Refreshments will be served and Eileen Fiore will be the guest soloist.

3 ordered held for alleged crack distribution

PROVIDENCE (AP) — Three men have been ordered held in federal custody for allegedly participating in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine in Central Falls and Pawtucket.

The U.S. attorney’s office said Wednesday that 20-year-old Angel Vigo, of Central Falls, 30-year-old Adalberto Negron, of Woonsocket, and 24-year-old Edwin Nieves, with a last known address in Pawtucket, were ordered detained. They’re charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base.

Authorities say an individual working with law enforcement arranged to buy crack cocaine and accepted deliveries from the three men in Central Falls and Pawtucket at least 10 times.

The men were arrested Friday by Central Falls police, the FBI and members of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force in Rhode Island.

Attorneys for Nieves and Vigo had no comment. A message was left for Negron’s lawyer.

Judge’s ruling on Landmark sale pushed back

PROVIDENCE (AP) — A Rhode Island judge’s ruling on a request to finalize the sale of Landmark Medical Center in Woonsocket to a for-profit California hospital chain has been pushed back.

Superior Court Judge Michael Silverstein was expected to issue a ruling Wednesday on a petition that seeks to close the sale of financially troubled Landmark to Prime Healthcare Services. Landmark spokesman Bill Fischer said the hearing has been rescheduled for Friday.

Landmark has been in receivership since 2008, and previous purchase agreements have fallen through.

The parties say they want to close no later than Dec. 31, but prefer to do so by Nov. 30.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island has filed a limited objection related to $3 million it claims it’s owed as a creditor.

Ex-EDC chief being deposed in 38 Studios suit

PROVIDENCE (AP) — The former head of the Rhode Island economic development agency that approved a $75 million loan guarantee for Curt Schilling’s video game company is set to give a deposition in the lawsuit over 38 Studios’ collapse.

Former Economic Development Corp. Executive Director Keith Stokes is scheduled to start his deposition today. His attorney, David Martland, declined to comment.

Stokes resigned last year as 38 Studios was collapsing into bankruptcy. The EDC sued him, his then-deputy Michael Saul, the former Red Sox pitcher and others involved in the deal. The suit claims the defendants misled the agency’s board into approving the loan guarantee. They dispute the claims.

Saul is scheduled to be deposed on Friday. His lawyer did not return a message.

URI gifted $15M to launch brain research institute

SOUTH KINGSTOWN (AP) — The University of Rhode Island has gotten a $15 million private donation — its largest ever — to establish a neuroscience research institute.

URI announced the gift from former CVS Caremark CEO Tim Ryan and his wife today. It will be used to launch the George & Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, which will focus on diseases including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

University President David Dooley said the institute will boost the visibility of research underway in Rhode Island and position the university as a leader in brain research and treatment. The school says it will serve as a magnet for leading scientists and helping train a new generation of them.

Ryan is a 1975 URI pharmacy graduate. The institute is named for his mother and father, who had Alzheimer’s.

HealthSource RI also reports the customer call center in Providence has received 22,756 calls through Nov. 9 and 2,373 people have visited in person. Unique website visits number more than 117,000.

The vast majority of enrollees in the marketplace’s first month of operation signed up for Medicaid rather than private insurance plans. More than 3,200 enrollments out of 4,405 through Nov. 2 were for Medicaid.

HealthSource spokeswoman Dara Chadwick said Wednesday that officials are pleased with the number of enrollments.

About 470 small businesses have begun applications for insurance. The exchange will start reporting small business enrollments in December.